Looking for the Leaf

Maple Leaf Foods is using its platform to champion Canadian food—from the farm gate to the Olympic stage.

In Canadian foodservice, the phrase “support local” often appears on menus, chalkboards and marketing campaigns. But turning that sentiment into something tangible—something that moves beyond branding and into the mechanics of the food system—is a more complicated task.

For Maple Leaf Foods, the Look for the Leaf campaign represents an attempt to do exactly that: position Canadian food as a shared industry value rather than a single company’s competitive edge. It’s a strategy grounded in a fundamental truth about the domestic food economy. When one company succeeds in isolation, the system remains fragile. When the broader network grows—from farmers and manufacturers to distributors and restaurants—the entire industry becomes more resilient.

According to Heather Murphy, Brand Manager at Maple Leaf Foods, that philosophy was embedded in the campaign from the start—a move away from traditional brand marketing and toward something closer to industry advocacy. “At Maple Leaf Foods, supporting Canadian food has always been part of who we are. With Look for the Leaf, we wanted to show up as a leader in the industry and encourage Canadians to choose Canadian-made first—even when that choice isn’t always Maple Leaf. Because ultimately, if only one company wins and the broader ecosystem doesn’t, we’re not really strengthening Canada’s domestic food supply.”

The idea connects directly to Maple Leaf’s broader purpose statement, Raise the Good in Food, which emphasizes long-term responsibility across the food chain. “Being a leader means helping the entire system grow, not just our own brands,” Murphy explains. “We take a lot of pride in being part of a strong community of Canadian-made companies, and we’re humbled to use our scale to help elevate that broader movement.”

That sense of stewardship reflects an evolving role for large food companies in Canada’s domestic supply landscape. In a country where agricultural production, food manufacturing and restaurant culture are tightly interwoven, companies with national reach often serve as connectors between different parts of the system.

For Maple Leaf, those connections have also been reinforced through years of consumer trust tied to the brand’s Canadian identity. “From a brand perspective, we’ve always seen strong trust and loyalty scores tied to our Canadian roots and leadership,” Murphy acknowledges. “Campaigns like this reinforce that relationship with consumers and customers and give them another reason to feel good about choosing our products. It’s also opened the door to deeper partnerships with other Canadian brands and organizations—like Team Canada—which further strengthens that shared commitment to supporting Canadian food and the people behind it.”

A national stage for Canadian food.

One of the most prominent expressions of the campaign is Maple Leaf’s partnership with Team Canada, where the company serves as the official protein partner to Olympic athletes.

Murphy describes the collaboration as an extension of the broader narrative around Canadian food and national pride. “We sponsor a lot of organizations across the country, but we wanted to tap into a truly national platform—something that reflects the pride Canadians feel for one another,” she shares. “The Olympics are one of those rare moments where the whole country comes together, and it felt like a natural fit for a brand rooted in Canadian food to support the athletes representing Canada on the world stage.”

In keeping with the spirit of the Look for the Leaf campaign, the company’s Team Canada partnership campaign centres the athletes—and the people behind them. “What made the campaign especially meaningful for us is that it goes beyond traditional marketing,” says Murphy. “We partnered with seven Olympic athletes and their families, giving them a platform to share their stories—the dedication, sacrifice, and support systems it takes to reach that level, and the role high-quality, nutritious protein plays in fueling their performance. We also wanted Canadians to feel part of the celebration. Through social channels, we committed to giving away a year of free protein for every medal won by a Canadian athlete, and we matched donations to the Team Canada Foundation, which supports athletes with things like food, equipment, and training so they can pursue their Olympic dreams.”

The partnership is also designed to extend beyond the Olympic cycle. “We’re incredibly proud of the partnership, and it’s something we’re committed to long term,” Murphy shares. “We’ll be back for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and will continue sharing the stories of these athletes and the role Canadian food plays in fuelling their journeys along the way.”

Where restaurants enter the story

For Murphy, some of the most important storytellers in the Canadian food system aren’t brands or manufacturers—they’re restaurants.

Operators have always played a unique role in connecting diners with the people and places behind their food. From sourcing local ingredients to celebrating regional products on menus, restaurants translate the abstract idea of “Canadian food” into something guests can experience directly.

“Restaurants are some of the strongest storytellers in the Canadian food system,” says Murphy. “They’re deeply rooted in their communities, and many operators genuinely want to highlight where their ingredients come from and the producers behind them. That’s exactly where Look for the Leaf naturally aligns. The campaign is really about helping Canadians recognize and choose food that’s made here, and restaurants play a huge role in bringing that story to life on menus every day.”

That distinction matters in hospitality, where credibility is built table by table. Diners can tell when a story feels grafted onto a menu and when it’s genuinely embedded in the choices behind it—what’s sourced, what’s served and what an operator is proud to stand behind. In that context, Canadian-made products become more than ingredients; they become part of the restaurant’s own expression of values, community and place.

“From our perspective in Foodservice, it’s less about pushing a brand message and more about supporting operators with products and ingredients they feel proud to serve—things that allow them to confidently say they’re supporting Canadian food,” says Murphy. “When restaurants can tell that story authentically, it resonates with guests because it reflects the same pride Canadians have in supporting food made here at home. It’s also why we spend so much time working alongside operators, chefs, and partners across the industry. When the entire ecosystem—from farmers to manufacturers to restaurants—is aligned around celebrating Canadian food, it strengthens the whole system. And that’s really the spirit behind Look for the Leaf.”

In a country where the food system stretches from prairie farms to urban kitchens, that spirit of shared success may be the ingredient that holds it all together.

Presenting Sponsor: Local
Presenting Sponsor: Independent Restaurants Day

Visit Maple Leaf Foods at Booth #5225 in Hall 5 to sample their newest innovations and engage with their team.

Heather Murphy
Brand Manager, Maple Leaf

Heather Murphy is a brand marketing professional known for her ability to connect strong consumer insight with compelling storytelling. At Maple Leaf Foods, she contributes to brand strategy and marketing initiatives that bring some of Canada’s most recognized food brands to life, helping translate product innovation and heritage into meaningful experiences for consumers.

With a background in brand building and content development, Heather focuses on creating marketing that resonates culturally and emotionally—showcasing how food brings people together and plays a role in everyday moments across Canada.